Eye Candy
by Espiritus
Summary: She isn't your typical beauty, but he isn't your typical knight in shining armor either. KBK.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

Author's Note: Just to say I don't have anything against models, and I'm using them in here in the most basic, stereotypical way. So please just go along for the, err, ride. Thanks!

**Eye-Candy  
**By: Espiritus

She isn't your typical beauty, but he isn't your typical knight in shinning armor either. BK.

&&&&&&&&&&&

_Snap._

_Click._

_Snap._

"Okay, ladies, we're done for today. Thanks for being such troopers!"

Kaoru smiled as the _thin and_ _fabulous_ models scattered around the revamped warehouse loft. Of course they completely ignored her, the only female photographer of the team; some even snickered at her behind her back when she bent over to pick up her remaining camera supplies.

_"God I swear, Tiffany, I wonder if she's even a girl at times…I mean just look at her!"_

Oh how Kaoru wished she could just raise one little finger at them, but she calmly - yes, calmly- refused to acknowledge the twittering idiots who stood drinking their expensive bottled water, their meal for the day.

Kaoru smiled to herself as she placed her hand on her stomach. She wasn't the thinnest one of the pack, especially since she was standing in a room full of anorexic minxes, but she wasn't fat either. Hey, she liked her beef and cheese and soda. What? - Vegetables you say? No such thing existed in her world, except carrots...umm, yummy delicious carrots...carrot cake, anyone?

On the matter of her cloths, well they had seen better days Kaoru admitted upfront with no shame. Besides she was at work and there was no one to impress unless she counted Soujiro, her fellow photographer and favorite among the thin and fabulous pack. But Soujiro would always be just, well, Soujiro, and therefore there was really no one to impress.

"Hey, Kaoru," Soujiro called pulling himself away from two tall models. "Want to catch a movie after this? I heard the Marquis is showing Casablanca; it's their classic black-and-white movie night."

Kaoru promptly ignored how some models' eyes bored holes in her head turning towards Soujiro with a smile. "Hmm, a romantic movie with you, Soujiro? I don't think Shura would appreciate that."

Soujiro smiled at the mention Shura and Kaoru was not one to miss it. She had her observant moments, too.

"Hey! This isn't some plot to use me to get to Shura, is it? Gods, can you make me feel any worse about my single state, Soujiro, and my looks to boot." She flashed a quick smile at his terrified expression. He was so easy to trick.

"I am here all day with women who far surpass my own beauty and you ask me out to a movie, getting me all excited, and then I find out you are just using me. Oh the woes of being twenty-three and single!"

And to add extra dramatic effect, Kaoru pressed the back of her hand to her head and leaned on Soujiro, her smile intact.

Soujiro laughed a deep throaty laugh patting Kaoru's head affectionately. "It's not nice to lie about your age, Kaoru. I know you're turning thirty this year."

Pressing a finger to her lips Kaoru winked. "Yes, but I don't need any of those -" She jerked her thumb to the models who were ambling around, talking to their agents or other photographers, "women to find out. They already think I am a lesbian, a man, a transvestite, and numerous other things. Please, let me hang on to my youth for a bit longer. I only have two more months before the big three-o."

"Shut-up, Kaoru, you don't even look that old." She only smiled in response.

"But," Soujiro sighed, "we have to work on that manly looking thing."

Kaoru's face reddened. Oh no, it was not from embarrassment. Oh, it was because soon Soujiro's head would be placed upon her mantle next to another man whose name was Yahiko.

"You are so dead!"

Soujiro laughed. _Yep, his head will be mine!_

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Ay! and a bottle of rum to ye matties!" Kaoru screamed a wine cooler, grape in flavor, hanging above her head.

She had a wayward smile on her lips, a laughing gleam in her eyes, and Misao, her best friend since college, urged her on as she bellowed playfully at the group of men across the bar that captured their attention.

Times were great, except work, that wasn't as great as it should have been.

"Are you buying, lass?" One guy, middle height, older, and wearing wired framed glasses yelled back.

He was drunk just as the rest of them yet to protect their virtues Kaoru and Misao opted to not become intoxicated tonight. Besides it was never fun the next day, but if only she could find those Morning After Pills she would be in the business of fun.

Misao lugged herself over the counter, her flat stomach pressing over the wooden bar like a table cloth. "Lasses like us wouldn't der buy rum for ye scoundrels!"

Kaoru chocked back the grape flavored cooler, her eyes widening at Misao who too had gotten into the pirate fiasco. Kaoru did not even remember how the role play started; all she knew now was that the whole bar was in on the fun she had concocted. Even Katsu, the bartender who usually remained quiet, played along. Of course it was not a large bar, more like a smoky parlor than anything else, but it was quaint and cozy having a lot of older people come around to hang out in the later hours of the night. Kaoru preferred it to others bars that were larger and had far too many young men skipping about. Older men were funny, and goodness did they have their stories.

Yep, it was a good night all right.

"See, Kaoru, this is much better than hanging out with boring ol' Soujiro and Shura."

Kaoru smiled, her cheeks burning with warmth, and nodded hitting the wooden counter. "Yep! - Hey, you! Ya, Katsu, get yer arse over here. I need me some good drink."

The men on the other side laughed. "Katsu, I warn ye, beware of that lass - she'll bite, s'pecially the small one."

"How about I pound ye dirty arse in the good Earth, Lemming?" Misao said ferociously.

Kaoru laughed again feeling the slight effects of a buzz coming around. Katsu showed his face a moment later, the epitome of the stereotypical bartender, standing with a white, damp towel over his shoulder, a loose button up shirt, black pants, and, to complete the ensemble, was cleaning a glass cup.

"How 'bout a water, Kaoru, so that you don't comprise your virtue." His tone was blunt. Kaoru laughed.

Everyone it seemed knew she was a virgin; she announced loudly on several occasions (she was a bit drunk each time) that she couldn't have any more alcohol because not only did it kill brain cells but also it made women compromise their innocent virtues.

"I didn't know you cared, Katty-Katsu," Misao snickered as Kaoru turned to talk to Katsu. "But you're right as always, my dear friend and loyal bartender, I shall stop, but just to say, no man would want a piece of this blubber." Kaoru pinched a wad of fat from her stomach, smiling proudly.

The men laughed, holding up their beers. Misao rolled her eyes. Katsu covered his eyes in dismay. "See this, yer dirty pigs, this is the sign of a happy woman!"

The bar burst into laughter followed by at least a dozen, "Amen's!"

"Kaoru, you're not fat for the hundredth time," Katsu said pushing a glass of water to her. "You actually have meat on those bones of yours; I'd rather have that than bones and skin."

Kaoru blushed as Misao wooted. "Yeah being skinning sucks, Kaoru; you always get really cold. My grandma was really skinny when she was alive and she was the meanest old lady that ever lived. If you ask me," Misao said looking to both Kaoru and Katsu, the delectable bartender. "I think she just needed to eat and get laid, maybe at the same time."

"That's impossible, Misao," Kaoru voiced, astonished. "Your poor grandmother must be turning in her grave."

"Nah, that's impossible."

"Why is that, Misao?" Katsu said fishing out another bottle to dry.

Kaoru looked to the other side of the bar where the older men sat engaged, as usual, in a conversation about the good ol' days. They were probably bragging on battle scars or something of the sort while the younger ones talked of their latest fiscal polices. Classic.

"We cremated her as soon as she died. We didn't want to wait to see if she would wake up again." Misao laughed heartily. Kaoru tried to contain her laughter while Katsu held an emotionless look on his face.

"That was cruel."

"I'm kidding, she was dead," Misao conceded. "But I do think she tried to kill me a few times in my life. That clever old bat almost got me once, too."

Kaoru glanced at Katsu and shook her head. It was best if they just would let Misao rave a bit about her bat of a grandma. Who cared that the woman had been dead for about ten years, Misao still held her grudge.

"So how was work, Kaoru?" Katsu asked gathering up two more glasses and shifting his spectacles so that they rested on the bridge of his Roman sculpted nose.

"I was hungry the whole time, but the models refused to have any food above one calorie in the same room as them." Kaoru pouted making herself tear up a bit. "I nearly starved to death in there, Katty. It was horrible."

"You're always hungry, Kaoru." Misao stopped her ranting to laugh.

"I wish me daughter had an appetite like yers, lass!" A man, this one with a white comb-over and soft face yelled, still in the pirate act.

Kaoru nodded; the whole world should eat more because then there would be more happy people and less wars, that was the truth. Why do you think Buddha is so cubby? It's because he's happy, that's why.

"You, old man, I wasn't talking to you!" Kaoru roared playfully. The group of men laughed again muttering about "youngsters" and the "back in my day"s. Katsu sighed at the group of regulars: Misao, herself, and the group of old and middle aged men.

"I swear you scare all my new customers off," Katsu shook his head sadly.

"It not my fault, Katsu-Mattsu, I just love to have fun here. The models back at the new, super-modern loft think I'm weird."

"You are," he stated abruptly. "I have never seen you, Kaoru, without screaming my name is some absurd nick name of sort."

"Aww, you love it, man. Don't deny it."

Misao cut into the conversation, "And, Katsu, that's not true, Kaoru can be really quiet. I have seen it. She only acts this away around people she knows."

"Kaoru? Quiet?" The men chorus, drunkenly. "Has hell frozen over?"

"No," Kaoru shouted back, "but I hope when it does you'll be in it."

The men again laughed, slinging the arms over one another and started to sing some bar song. They were trying to impersonate the Irish, Kaoru concluded. That was the signal it was time to go and fast before things became more terrifying.

"Hey, Katsu, the old men have started their choir so we have to be going now. Right, Sao."

Misao looked towards the older men, then at Katsu, and back to Kaoru and nodded her head. "That would be smart."

Misao grabbed her purse and Kaoru's throwing it to her. They both were oblivious to Katsu's terror. "So you are going to leave me with them? Misao, I thought better of you."

Misao patted his shoulder, Kaoru snorted. "You'll live. See ya tomorrow, Katsu!"

"Oh, I got a friend that's coming over tomorrow, you two, so be here!"

Kaoru winked over her should, "We'll try not to embarrass you too much, love. Bye!"

And with that, both Misao and Kaoru ran out the door into the cool night air just barely escaping as the older men grabbed the karaoke machine.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Sanosuke, humor me again as to why we have to protect these models?" Sano gave his friend and business partner for the last six years a cheeky grin.

"Himura, calm down," Kenshin raised one delicate eye brow.

Kenshin Himura, to any other's eyes, was the picture of calmness, his face leaning on his hand with his elbow propped against the airplane seat's armrest. Sanouske laughed.

"Nothing ever gets you excited, huh. Six years and I'm still amazed at how rarely you laugh." Kenshin narrowed his eyes in warning.

Sanosuke was tiresome when he started talking about his life that Kenshin would have rather him to stay out of, his life namely. "But to answer your question, boss wants this to be done personally by his best. The owner of the modeling agency said his models needed protection."

"From what, terrorist?" Kenshin mused sarcastically.

Kenshin Himura, age thrity-three and top agent of Batu Security Services Inc., was frustrated to say the least. He should be out on the field tracking down national terrors instead being subjugated to protecting women who flaunted around in tight cloths...not that he held anything against them, they did provide some amusement.

"He offered the agency a good deal of money, Hiko could not pass it up." Aoshi said speaking up from the back seat. Kenshin nodded, thinking as much.

"Haha! Iceberg has got that right," Aoshi stared indifferently at Sano before looking out the window. "Your uncle wanted that money, but he also wanted to see you in this situation. That man has the best sense of humor."

"Sanosuke," Kenshin said moving his head to stare at the brown haired idiot.

"Yeah, Kenshin?" Sanosuke was still laughing.

"Be quiet."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"You mean Derek Edward actually has three body guards coming to the show?" Kaoru asked as she took a seat facing Megumi, the only model who she actually liked and was liked in return. Megumi flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Yes, it's quite unneeded and outrageous. I presume it's just to expand his ego." Megumi sighed taking up the end of one strand of coal black hair and playing with it. "Wonderful designer yet such a silly man."

Kaoru leaned back against Megumi's dressing room sofa closing her eyes and draping her arms across the seat. She always loved Megumi's dressing room for its elegance and dark romantic colors; it reminded Kaoru of old movies and famous actresses. _Wait. Old movies..._

Her eyes snapped open, "Have you seen Soujiro today, Megu?"

Megumi blinked her eyes putting a finger to her lips. "Earlier this morning, why?"

Kaoru leaned back against the couch, "Nothing, I just wanted to see if he asked Shura to the movies last night."

Megumi shook her head disapprovingly. "The movies as a first date, Kaoru? Shura deserves better than that, don't you think?"

Kaoru stood up to pace around the room. She was tired of sitting down. "No, it was an old movie showing at the Marquis. Very romantic, if you ask me."

Megumi's lips took the shape of an "o" before nodding.

"Anyway, back to the big boss. Does he just want to expand his ego or are you models in trouble? Did Trisha get some mob boss to chase her around again, because I swear if she did than I'll hurt her-?"

"Stop!" Megumi said rolling her eyes and laughing at the same time.

Kaoru could be such a riot to be around at times, such a strange and funny girl and one of the best photographers Edward Designs had ever seen.

"No, no. It's nothing like that, but for Derek this is his biggest fashion show to date; the man wants everything to be perfect. He doesn't want his whole imagine to be ruined with one little disaster."

"Isn't the show in New York, though? We're in New Haven, why doesn't he send them to the Big Apple?" Megumi shrugged her shoulders looking like the model she was.

Kaoru sighed again looking down at her watch. "Well, Megumi, I got to run. The next photo shoot is going to start in ten minutes, and you know how much fun that will be."

Megumi frowned a bit regarding Kaoru for a moment, "You haven't eaten anything yet, Kaoru. That's not good for you; Dietary Magazine says that if you don't-"

"Yes, yes, Doctor Takani, I know and I'm hella hungry right now, but a job is a job. See ya, got to go!"

Kaoru relaxed her smile as she felt the door close behind her and stiffly laid her head against the wooden panel. Edward was hiring body guards, eh? This could only improve her fun at the work place. Maybe they too will join in the fun at her expense, Kaoru bitterly thought.

Casting her self-pitying thoughts away, they were the remnants of her childhood years, Kaoru power walked to the roof of the old warehouse where the next shoot would be held. Derek was going for some desolate beautiful type of motif.

The middle aged man was a genius in fashion, a little eccentric, a bit egotastical but an excellent man nonetheless with the cutest family. He was the reason why Kaoru could stand working at Edward Designs; his imagination and eye for detail were mind-boggling. There was also the bonus of being personally acquainted with one of the most famous designers in high fashion and meeting other well known photographers, and not only in fashion, but in all aspects of photography.

There was Thomas Flew, the award winning black-and-white mid-west photographer. James Rouw, the modern architecture photographer who at the young age of twenty-two already had a book published and his own company, and so many more.

Kaoru nearly salivated at the thought of being able to start her own advertising company, because then she could take as many pictures as she would like and actually be creative in numerous other bodies of the world. Yet that dream was far off. The money she made was good but not enough to support creating her own business just yet.

Kaoru closed her eyes as she opened the door to the roof, the sun beaming down with all its strength onto the many people milling around, loud and bossy as always.

In time her dream would come, but until then Edward Deigns would have her loyalty.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sucking in her stomach and brushing her bangs from her eyes, Kaoru raised a fisted hand to knock at the immaculate door in front of her; cherry wood engraved with flowers and a golden door knob with the face of a lion. A bit strange? Yes, but only if you did not know the man behind the door.

"Come in," a deep voice instructed.

Kaoru placed a smile on her face as she opened the door having her breathe taken away, yet again, with the brilliance of Derek Edward's ability to turn a plain room into a god's heaven.

The marble tile floor, enhanced with weaved Persian rugs, reflected the fading sun behind other sky scrapers seen through a huge corner office window made Kaoru feel like she somehow stepped into another world. Crimson and beige couches filled the room elegantly, and statues of ancient Greek gods were all perfectly placed in their respective spots. Kaoru could have look around forever if it was not for the voice which pulled her back into the real world.

"Kaoru, my dear, how are you?" He placed two hands on her shoulders, kissing each of her cheeks.

"What brings you all the way over here? By the way, how is the photo shoot coming along at the new site, the abandoned warehouse?"

"They are coming along well, Mr. Edwards-"

"Kaoru, Kaoru, how many times do I need to say call me Derek. You make it seem like you would be breaking some insane taboo. Come now, dear, sit down." Derek said motioning towards a plush red arm chair.

Kaoru smiled at her big boss. He was a handsome aging man, about a head taller than her, with blond hair slowly being flicked by silver wisps and clear green eyes that always sparkled in some mystery.

Yet what Kaoru loved most about her boss was that he was not like the stereotypical fashion designer. For one, he was not gay as some people liked to believe - he had a wife and daughter at home - the man was not rude or emotional, more like a father to every one of his employees, and though he was strict about deadlines, he remained understanding.

Before he could speak again, Kaoru spoke up, "Derek, I would like to ask you about something I heard today involving the up coming fashion line. About the three body guards."

Derek strode around to his seat and smiled deviously. "Of course, it is not just only to expand my own importance," he laughed at the look on his employees face.

"Kidding, Kaoru. Three body guards are coming - I hired them from Batu Security Services. Neat, huh? I just want all my little girls to be safe; this is my biggest show yet, anything could happen...to anyone."

Kaoru nodded. "But isn't Batu Security one of the most renown agencies in the world, even the government hires them, what made them send some of their agents-"

"Some of their top agents," Derek pointed out with a wave of a finger.

"Some of their best agents for a fashion show when they could be doing some type of governmental protection something or another?"

He stretched out against her chair placing his hands behind his head, smiling. "Well I dropped a pretty penny on Hiko Soujiro's head. The man couldn't refuse though he said he should have...something about it being funny his nephew would be placed in the situation - I can't really remember nor do I care as long as my girls are protected."

"His nephew?" Kaoru face twisted in confusion. People were just weird at times. Derek nodded, shrugging.

"They should be here by tomorrow," Kaoru stood up saying that she had to go because of a previous engagement and was about to grab her belongings when Derek stopped her. "I would like to ask you a tiny favor, Kaoru."

Curious, Kaoru stopped moving a regarded her big boss, "Yes."

He smiled a charming smile, "I would like for you to go to New York for the show. I need a good photographer there along with Soujiro; you two are the best I have."

Kaoru felt her heart pound excitedly; she could go to New York, see Soho and China Town and Time Square. The only down part was that she would have to ride a plane with a few models in which the feeling of hate was mutual.

Kaoru shivered but nevertheless agreed to the idea of going with the company. Derek smiled and told her he would send the information over to her office tomorrow, meaning she would have to come back here and pick it up. It wasn't that far of a drive from the warehouse to the main office, but nonetheless a drive and driving meant gas which all boiled down to her spending money.

"Thank you, Derek. See you later!"

And with that she was gone.

**A/N:** Hello, people! I know it has been a long time, a very long time since I've updated or posted anything. So please no throwing of the tomatoes at me. This story has been in my saved file for a long time, and originally it was going to be a one-shot, a very long one-shot, but I've decided to make it into a multi-chapter fic, albeit a short one.

And I know my grammar isn't the best so I'm open to any body who wishes to be my beta. Though I hope my grammar isn't too bad or ay least I hope my beloved English teacher doesn't find out about it.

Thanks for reading,

_Espiritus_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Sorry for this taking so long, and sorry as well for the grammar mistakes. I do my best.

As warning: I mean no offense by anything I write in this story. It's kind of like a social satire in a way.

Oh yeah, what I call Battousai I find humorous because when I spell check the name, spell check always says his name is spelled wrong as it gives me a certain word that I use ( to try to be funny ) as the correct way of how to spell it. If that doesn't confuse you…

**Eye-Candy  
**By: Espiritus

She isn't your typical beauty, but he isn't your typical knight in shinning armor either. KBK.

&&&&&&&&&&&

"Why do people call him Boathouse?" Kaoru asked innocently.

Katsu gave her a bored look that made her feel rather stupid while Misao chocked on her drink.

"I'm just curious as to why someone would want to be known as Boathouse. Why is that so damn strange!?" Kaoru replied angered by how they were looking at her. It was an honest to goodness question; Boathouse was a silly name.

Misao laughed flinging her head onto the bar counter and slapping it with her free hand.

"Not Boathouse, Kaoru - Battousai." Katsu answered straight-faced. Kaoru snorted rolling her eyes.

"Sounds like Boathouse if you ask me, Katsu." Kaoru said giving the man who started the conversation a one over. "Is he important or something?"

"Not to the pop-culture world. No."

Kaoru slammed her hands onto the counter a defiant, outrageous look on her face. "Not to the pop-culture world? Then this Boathouse man doesn't deserve my attention."

"Battousai," Misao corrected with one finger raised.

"Whatever." the other huffed taking a long drink and then promptly coughing as the liquid went down the wrong pipe as she explained she recovered from her near death experience, as she also claimed.

Closing his eyes Katsu continued cleaning a glass praying to God that Kaoru would control herself tonight and the nights that were surely to come. The girl never learned just to sit back and listen. Maybe she was A.D.D? Kaoru yelled at something. Katsu blinked and shook his head. Cross A.D.D, she was A.D.H.D and needed a good doctor other than Misao. No, he thought sadly, a specialist.

"Kaoru, if you would listen then you would know what I'm trying to tell you about this Battousai."

Kaoru leaned her head into her palm. "Yeah, yeah…then what about Boathouse?"

Katsu chose the high road and ignored his friend placing down the glass in his hand and saying: "He is the one, of the three, who is going to be protecting the models at your New York show. My friend, Sano, is apart of the detail assigned to protect them and is a close friend to the Battousai or Kenshin as he calls him. I just thought you would like to know."

Kaoru sipped her bitter beverage and nodded. "Well thanks for telling me I guess; as Shakespeare wrote, 'know thy enemy.'"

Misao's eyes narrowed. "I think you're thinking of someone else, Kaoru."

Kaoru waved her hand back and forth. "Whatever. Someone did say it, right?" Misao nodded. "Then I don't see a problem." The other girl merely shook her head before resuming her pervious activity, drinking.

"Katsu, when is Sano going to come?"

Katsu glanced at the clock above the tables on the opposite side of the bar. "Sano said he would be here at eleven with a guy named Aoshi Shinomori."

"What about Boathouse?" Kaoru chimed in.

"He won't be coming, business or something."

"Ah," Kaoru said licking her lips and waving as a few older men she knew ambled into the bar.

They looked tired from the work place because, most probably, their life energy had been sucked dry by the white cubical which was their habitat. Monkeys had tree, frogs their swamps, birds the sky, and humans had their cubicles. It was a sad life really, and Kaoru felt pity for them glad that she had chosen photography as a profession rather than accounting as her mother wanted her to do.

Misao slurped quietly on her drink glancing every few moments at the door anxious for Katsu's friend's arrival. Kaoru, on the other hand, couldn't quiet bring herself to care as she drained another wine cooler and asked Katsu for another one to make time go faster. It was a slow night at the bar, but Kaoru enjoyed the still atmosphere.

"So..." Kaoru began looking at the smaller girl beside her who only smiled. "How's what's-his-face doing?"

Misao's smile instantly turned into a frown and for a second Kaoru wished she would have thought about her question before asking it.

Misao had been in a relationship with some guy for nearly five months and all they seemed to do was argue about nonsensical things. She didn't approve of the relationship, or the man, but it was Misao's life and choice; thus, Kaoru chose to watch from the side lines as things, as she predicted, crashed and burned.

"Andrew," she yawned trying to feign apathy. "He's a dick, like always. Wanna guess what our latest argument was about?"

Kaoru gave her friend a cat-like smile. Over the past few weeks, a game had started between Misao and herself, a game of guessing their latest debates.

Blowing strands of hair from her face, Kaoru gulped down the rest of her wine cooler. "I don't know - the best video game?"

Misao shook her head her voice turning bitter. "No. My hair style."

Kaoru's shock was quickly replaced by laughter having Misao glare at her; Kaoru could only shake her head. Misao's hair, for as long as she could remember, had always been in a long, tight braid; for Misao it was practical, efficient, and showed off her pixie like attitude. Kaoru couldn't picture the woman without it. Besides doctors had other things to worry about other than hair Misao once explained.

"You were right, Kaoru. He isn't good boyfriend material."

Kaoru patted Misao on the back and smiled. "What man is? Why don't you just leave him?"

There was a strange quirk in her mouth as she answered. "Amusement sake. Sometimes I laugh when we argue - it's not something he likes. That's the only reason I'm still with him."

Kaoru snapped her fingers. "Break it off like you usually do."

"Katsu already calls me a man-killer."

"So what?" said Kaoru twisting her bottle in circular motions glancing at the door, straightening when she saw two tall men enter. "It's not like you like the man."

Misao only shrugged, flipped open her cell phone, and to Kaoru's amusement called Andrew on the spot and broke up with him. She could hear the man's stuttering on the other line, his anger and confusion, but Misao only said, "We're through. Sorry, but I can't change my hair style," and hung up.

"He'll probably call me tomorrow all pissed off," she explained with the phone dangling from her fingers.

"That was fast," Kaoru mused with a drink hanging from her fingers. The two men were already at the bar taking a seat. They were new, handsome, but Kaoru thought it wise to stay away.

"Why hold if off when..." Misao's voice drifted off as she caught site of the taller of the two men before shaking her head. "There are so many other fish in the sea."

Kaoru followed her vision and rolled her eyes. "Misao, that man is probably a total icicle. He looks like he has something rather big stuck right up his ass."

The man gave her a quick look before turning away from them both. Kaoru blinked. He couldn't have heard her, could he? because that would have been freaking impossible and awesome at the same time.

So while Kaoru was busy musing over the pros and cons of excelled hearing abilities she never noticed Katsu amble over to the two men and pat the brown haired one on the back affectionately and shake the other's hand.

Misao did though.

"I think those two guys are the ones Katsu wants us to meet." Misao said barely able to contain her excitement.

Kaoru managed only a dull, "Huh?" before Misao explained to her again what she just said.

Kaoru crossed her arms over her chest looking at the three men approaching men. Damnit! _They were_ the men Katsu wanted them to meet. She hated meeting two people, especially if the people were young, attractive men. Kaoru wanted to gag at the upcoming night; it would be filled with awkward conversations and a flirting Misao. Perfect.

Kaoru was just about to stand and join the middle-aged men of society when Katsu shot her a look as if to say 'shut up and sit down and behave.'

Rather insulted by the obvious silent communication, Kaoru decided right then and there it was best to say nothing. She knew where Katsu lived. She would shank him in the night or something.

"Kaoru. Misao. This is my old friend, Sanouske Sagara, and his business associate, Aoshi Shinomori." Turning to the two gentlemen he motioned Kaoru and Misao saying, "Sano. Aoshi. This is Kaoru Kamiya and Misao Makimachi, the annoying girls who come here almost every night."

Misao, bubbling with pent up energy, eagerly shook both men's hands and began a conversation, or tried to that is, with Aoshi. Kaoru smirked to herself as the man didn't seemed fazed or interested in Misao in the slightest. He was an icicle and a jackass.

The other man, the brown haired, stupid looking one, sat next to her and smiled a type of smile that surely made lesser women (maybe sluts?) swoon.

"It's Kaoru, right?" he began.

The woman addressed raised her wine cooler in greeting.

"Sano, right?"

He nodded looking proud for no certain reason.

Glancing quickly between the two men, Kaoru cursed her life. She would be seeing these people for the whole trip to New York, but maybe if they did their job right she wouldn't have to actually_ see_ them. She would have to go to church in the morning and light an extra candle.

"Nice to meet you," she chocked out.

"That's unusual." he said after a moment. Kaoru's eyebrow shot up.

"Huh? What do you mean?" He was clearly insane.

He smiled down at her and laughed. "Women usually feel more than 'nice' to meet me."

Kaoru felt her mouth fall and stared at the man beside her with wide eyes. True he was handsome, but he certainly wasn't exquisite. And the nerve he had to say that to her of all people!

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Katsu try to say something to her but it was far too late. This Sanouske Sagara needed to be taught a lesson in talking to one Kaoru Kamiya.

"I don't see why not," Kaoru shrugged. "You're definitely no Adonis."

"What?" he asked clearly amused, that or he didn't get the allusion. Kaoru bet on the latter.

Rolling her eyes, Kaoru had no qualms about instructing him. "In the common tongue, you idiot, I'm saying that you aren't handsome at all to me!"

If he was hurt he didn't show it. Kaoru praised him for that fact; she could admire a man for hiding his emotions.

"Hold your horses, Missy; there is no need for name calling here."

Her eyebrow twitched. He didn't just call her 'missy' did he? Forget shanking Katsu, this man would die instead.

"Listen here, Rooster-head," Kaoru said eyeing his hair style and noting with satisfaction how his eyes narrowed. Note to self: hair style is a soft point. "I will call you whatever I damn well feel like calling you."

"Kaoru!" Katsu said rushing into the conversation. "Don't get so upset. Sano is just teasing."

But neither Sano nor Kaoru were listening to reason; instead, they were glaring at one another wishing for the other's demise.

"It's not that free of a country, raccoon."

Kaoru clenched her fist. Raccoon! She hadn't been called that since sixth grade when she kicked that boy's ass and his tag-alongs when they felt like bothering her.

Standing on her feet Kaoru glared down at Sanouske feeling somewhat happy despite her anger and annoyance. It was quite a surprise when she realized that she was actually having fun with this whole conversation.

"I don't follow those rules. I make my own."

"Are you lesbian?" he asked suddenly catching off guard. Kaoru couldn't resist this opportunity though she might regret it later, but what was life without a few regrets every now and then?

"And what if I was, rooster-head?" He looked caught off guard as well and then laughed.

"If you were then I would ask if I could watch."

"Watch?" Kaoru whispered clearly not understanding. Sano rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, watch you and your partner get it on, if you know what I mean."

If Kaoru had been a normal girl she might have yelled and hit Sano for asking such a thing in her presence, but thankfully for the insaneness of this story Kaoru isn't that type of girl. She was having too much fun to put a stop to their argument, so why not play along? If she was known from now on as being lesbo maybe men would stay far away from her and make uncomfortable conversations happen less frequently.

"It's a deal as long as _I can watch_ you and your girlfriend go at it." For the second time he look startled, "Equal trade off after all, Sano."

Kaoru was fairly sure that Katsu was dying in the background but she wasn't worried. Misao was a doctor after all, and speaking on that girl where was she? Looking around she spotted Misao still trying to talk with that Shinomori guy and the whole thing clearly wasn't going anywhere.

Sano noticing her gaze smirked. "Your friend isn't going to have any luck with him."

Kaoru flashed him a quick-silver smile. "Clearly you don't know Misao, Sagara."

The man laughed. "You're the first woman to ever call me by my last name. You're okay for a chick."

Taking no offense at the comment, Kaoru shrugged her attention on Sano once more. "It's because I'm a lesbian."

"No you're not," Sano said shaking his head.

"How do you know?" Kaoru challenged not knowing exactly why she was trying to prove that she was one when she clearly knew she wasn't.

"Because you don't look like one - I can always spot those vixens a mile away." Kaoru laughed. Sano was an alright kind of guy; he was funny at the least.

After a comfortable silence surrounded them Kaoru found herself asking, "So you work with that Boathouse guy?"

"Who?" Sano asked confused.

"She means Battousai." Katsu put in smartly from the other side of the bar.

"Oh," Sano said laughing to himself. "I'm sure he would love to hear that."

"Who, Boathouse?" asked Kaoru.

"Yeah," Sano nodded.

"Is he really as deadly as Katsu says?" Kaoru questioned deeper.

"Sure why not."

Kaoru narrowed her eyes and huffed. "I don't believe it! Why is he wasting his skills with protecting models in a New York fashion show?"

"Money." Sano replied without thinking. "Protecting people isn't that simple of a job, Missy."

"Then if ya'lls skills are so above par go protect people in Iraq or something!"

Sano was quiet for a moment until he opened his big, stupid mouth and said, "I think he'll like you."

Kaoru placed her head on the table and groaned, "Just great! I love it when people like me."

Sano looked questionably at Katsu who shrugged in response.

"Kaoru is a strange girl, Sano," Katsu began hearing Kaoru mumble something incoherently. "You see she doesn't like it when people like her because that means she has to talk to them."

"Makes sense." the other man mused.

As long as Kaoru the photographer was with him on this trip maybe the job wouldn't seem so long or bad. She was amusing to say the least.

&&&

Sano told her last night, the night before they left for New York, that the Kenshin Himura, the Boathouse...Battousai...whatever...had flaming red hair.

Kaoru had asked if the man himself was flaming which Sano answered in the negative after a hearty laughter. Kaoru thought it was a grave lost because she preferred homosexual orientated men because, well because, that was the fashion now a days. The cute item girls had to have to be considered a girl.Kaoru thought the whole thing was stupid, but she had to follow society's rules sometimes. And she was in the fashion world; she had to have friends like that.

So as she was boarding the private jet carrying both the photographers and the models and numerous others, Kaoru caught a brief glance of a man wearing all black with deep red hair, but she couldn't see his face because when he turned she was already inside the plane and Kaoru thought it a shame because he looked quite appealing from the backside.

Loading the rest of her camera equipment onto the overhead bin, Kaoru found herself near the front of the plane with all the noisy minxes in the back chattering away about something or another. Grabbing her carry on bag beneath her feet, she then snatched out her iPOD and turned it on to the point where she was almost deaf. Serenity by Godsmack was blessing in disguise.

Kaoru was so absorbed in her music and at looking at the preparations for the plane outside that she didn't notice someone drop a bag onto the seat next to her nor did she notice the man next to the bag who was completely ignoring her and giving orders to one named Sanouske.

It wasn't until the tall brown haired man pulled out her headphones that Kaoru turned and found herself looking into two blue-steel eyes of the red haired man.

"If it isn't, Kaoru Kamiya," Sanouske said smiling; "you look like shit."

Kaoru looked down at herself and couldn't bring herself to deny the statement because she felt like shit as well. Who in the hell woke up at four in the morning? No one! But she had to for this beautiful, sunny day. It sucked.

Trying her best to ignore the red haired, exquisite example of maleness who, she guessed would be sitting with her much to her ire (she wanted the seat to herself), Kaoru placed down her _Time_ magazine and said: "I feel like shit too, Sagara, but at least I don't smell like it like you."

"Ouch, Missy! I see the intake of alcohol you consumed last night didn't have any affect on that bark of yours."

Kaoru smirked. "Would you rather feel my bite?"

"Are you trying to get me into bed, Missy?"

"No, no," Kaoru said shaking her head innocently, "I wouldn't do the bed the injustice."

"Sano," the red haired man interrupted intensely as if annoyed and amused at the same time, "you are to head to the back of the plane. Shinomori will take the middle, and I will remain up front."

"Right, Kenshin." Sano said nodding. "Oh, by the way, Kaoru, this is Kenshin Himura."

The two looked at each other at the same time and Kaoru felt herself smile in greeting though she felt the complete opposite on the inside.

Did she really have to sit with him? Maybe he wouldn't talk to her! Yes, maybe. She could only hope to avoid awkward situations. What did it matter if he was the most handsome, beautiful man she'd ever seen? He looked like he came with a lot of baggage which meant that somewhere in that handsome frame a teenage emo lurked.

Kenshin didn't smile back but nodded. Her smile never wavered because right at that moment she was looking for empty seats anywhere in the front. The women in the back were ogling him and she didn't want their eyes anywhere near her. Kenshin Himura was bad for her over all invisibility plans! At that moment, she spotted a seat two rows ahead of her and smiled even more.

"So," she started when it was made clear that she had to make the first step in conversation. Sano, it looked, seemed eager to see what she would say to him. He was a bastard. "You're the one they call the Boathouse."

He frowned. "Excuse me?" He didn't look pleased really.

Sano snickered but stopped when Kenshin glared at him with those steely blue eyes. "Kaoru, you mean Battousai."

Kaoru waved her hand as if to brush away the thought.

"Boathouse, Battousai...sounds the same to me. Anyway," she said looking at him and then at his bag. "Look, whoever you are, could you move your crap over to that seat over there," she said motioning to the open seat two rows ahead.

Sano gawked and cringed at the same time seeing Kenshin's eyes flash dangerously. The man didn't like to be ordered around by anyone especially by women who were supposed to be under his control, in a sense.

Kaoru waited for him to say something but when a few moments passed without a word Kaoru became a strange mix of frustrated and flustered. Yes, the man looked somewhat mad but so was she.

"Look, Boathouse, move your stuff over there! I don't want to sit to you for the whole damn plane ride!"

He then did something neither Kaoru nor Sano expected: he smiled a real smile. If Kaoru was a lesser woman she would have probably fainted.

"No." he said simply and promptly sat down.

**A/N:** So what did you think? I know this story is a little insane, but that's what makes it fun to write. I hope ya'll enjoyed it.

Sorry this took so long to come out! I would also like to apologize for the delay, long delay, in my other stories. I haven't felt inspiration for them in a long while. Hopefully they will be like this one and just turn out in one night.

Oh, the note: the cute item. For those who have seen Ouran High School Host Club, you know exactly what this cute item is. Basically, for those who don't know, it makes serious or mean-like things seem nicer or sweeter in a way. For Kaoru, it would make her seem to have a softer side.

**Espiritus**


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